First of all, congratulations, you have completed your root canal treatment! Hopefully you have had a pleasant experience, considering the circumstances. That truly is our goal. This sheet will go over some information about what to expect for the next few weeks now that the root canal is completed. Please follow the instructions outlined below, and contact us should any questions or problems arise.
1.
A permanent filling or a crown is required to be placed on your tooth within 1 MONTH of the root canal being completed. It is essential for you to follow up with your general dentist on this. If this is not done, the tooth is very likely to fracture or to develop new decay underneath the temporary filling which may cause your root canal to fail and require additional treatment or even extraction. There may be an additional cost at that point.
2.
DO not bite or chew with the tooth for one hour and while you are numb. Try to chew on the opposite side. Do not eat anything hard, sticky or chewy for the next few days. It is good to drink liquids right away. This will aid in hardening the temporary filling.
3.
Be very gentle with the tooth until the permanent restoration is placed.
4.
For the first few days and up to 10 days following your Root Canal Treatment, you may feel some mild pain, soreness and sensitivity that can include throbbing and minor swelling while biting or chewing on your affected tooth. This can be especially pronounced if you had pain, swelling and/or infection prior to your treatment. This discomfort can be SPONTANEOUS beginning a few days after your treatment and may continue for 1-2 weeks or longer.
5.
Sometimes, depending on the circumstances, the tooth and surrounding tissues may remain sore for a few weeks post treatment. The three most common reasons for pain are:
6.
WHAT DO I DO FOR DISCOMFORT? We recommend you take: every 6 hours (3 over the counter pills of 200mg Ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) every 6 hours for the next 2 days. OR (if unable to take ibuprofen) 500mg Acetaminophen (1 extra strength Tylenol or generic equivalent) every 6-8 hours for the next 2 days.
7.
In response to Covid-19 – we ask that you notify our office if you become diagnosed with Covid-19 within 14 days of your visit here.
FLARE-UPS
Although about 95% of root canals cause very little to no discomfort after the treatment is completed, there are about 5% of cases which can cause significant pain. These are commonly referred to as “flare-ups.” They mostly occur on badly infected teeth, teeth that are extremely irritated, or teeth that have a history of prior treatment. Sometimes, however, they occur randomly, even on patients that have had several root canals done previously without any problems.
If you have a flare-up you may experience moderate to severe pain, swelling (can get as large as a golf ball), bruising, throbbing, and general discomfort, which usually begins a few hours after treatment and may last 2 to 3 days.
Please contact our office if you experience any of these symptoms and we will do everything we possibly can to get you some relief. You may be prescribed antibiotics, stronger pain medication, a steroid, and/or you may be asked to come to the office to receive further therapy. Should you experience any of these symptoms after hours please contact our office at (401) 521-3746.